CSI comes to the Classroom

As a new teacher, brilliant ideas don't always happen overnight! The unit my tenth graders are currently working on has been more than a year in the making! I mentioned in my last entry, that I had arranged for the major crime squad from the CT State Police to come in for a presentation to my class. I could not be more thrilled with the way it turned out. Below are some pictures of highlights from the day! I can't wait to organize this one again next year!

The class started with a presentation on crime scene investigation, policies and procedures.

Students examined gunshot residue patterns and collection techniques.

This is the detective who completed the background check on my brother-in-law before Daryl went to Police Academy. He worked so well with the kids, it's hard to imagine him as the intimidating guy who tried his darnedest to get some dirt on Daryl.

Oh, by the way... He talked to the kids about using forensic light sources to find evidence not readily visible. The kids saw what saliva, blood, and other bodily fluids looked like under the lights. They also looked for fingerprints and hair/fiber samples.

Next, my kids got to work with the computer to create composite sketches. They didn't find this nearly as fascinating as I did... Perhaps if they were creating a composite sketch of me? I don't know, maybe it would have been more entertaining... Although, I worry a little about what I would have looked like in the end.

The Sergeant in charge also arranged to bring along the Mobile Crime Unit. During an investigation, troopers on the unit are self-sufficient. There is enough power, food and other supplies to last for a week at a time.

BUT!!!! My favorite part of the presentation follows. After my kids learned about the process of investigation, they had a chance to put it into practice.

Meet Annie Smith. She was found by her husband bleeding from the head with a revolver on the floor. He called police. First responders pronounced her dead, and called in the Major Crime Squad!

Detectives checked the body for signs of injury, a potential cause of death, and anything out of the ordinary. Their investigation uncovers a large wound on the back of the head. However, there is no gunshot residue and no sign that a bullet entered. Instead, it appears to have been a blunt force trauma to the head. During a canvass of the neighborhood, officers learned that multiple witnesses heard what sounded like two shots fired from a gun.

Bullet holes are discovered in the ceiling. It appears that this is not a suicide after all. Students determine that the shots must have been fired while the victim attempted to protect herself. But where and what is the murder weapon?

Ah, silly criminal.... The garbage does not go out before the police arrive to investigate a crime. The bloody pipe found in the garbage can is most likely the murder weapon. Students seize that as well as the sink trap from the bathroom (where students found bloody footprints) and determine that the victims husband should remain a person of interest in the case!

Now that is what they call interactive learning! And if this doesn't make literature come alive for my kids, I think I'm out of ideas.